Improvement in heaters and evaporators for molasses



B. F. HARPER.

HEATERS AND EVAPOBATORS FOR MOLASSES.

Patented April 17, 1877.

WITNESSES M mm UNITED STATES PATENT Orrron.

BENJAMIN F. HARPER, OF MOUNT VERNON, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN HEATERS AND EVAPUR'ATOR'S FOR MOLASSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 189,732, dated April17, 1877; application filed November 9, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, B. F. HARPER, of MountVernon, in the county of Jefferson, and in the State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Heater and Evaporatorfor Molasses; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a partof this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangementof a combined heater and evaporator for molasses, as will be hereinaftermore fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionappertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which-Figure 1 is a perspective view of the combined heater and evaporator.Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section, and Fig. 3 a transversevertical section, of the same.

A A represent two parallel side pieces, connected by means of themetallic bottom B, the ends of which are turned up to form the endpieces of the pan. 0 is a cross-bar, connecting the side pieces A A, anddividing the pan into the heater D 'an(l evaporator D. In the partitionor cross-bar G is averticallysliding gate, E, as shown. By thisconstruction, there is a full supply of juice over the fire-box, and, bymeans of the gate, the juice can be fed to the evaporator from theheater, either fast or slow, as desired.

The juice will stand about five inches deep in the heater, and one-halfinch deep in the evaporator; and if there should be any danger-ofmelting down-like all other evaporatorsa full supply of juice may beturned in in a moment, and thus save cost in repairing the evaporator.It also keeps the green juice from the sirup, which makes the molassesmore clear and better tasting.

Under the evaporator is a heat 7 regulator, G, in the shape of arectangular pan, suspended upon a crank-shaft, H. This shaft has, at oneend, an index-arm, I, pointing against a scale, J, on the side of theevaporator. By turning this index to No. 1 on the scale, it will throwthe regulator back to the last four vats, where the molasses isfinished; and when in this position, instead of opening the doors of thefurnace, the operator can fire up as heavy as he likes, as thisregulator will keep the heat from the last four vats enough to cook themolasses in good style.

When the fire is started up it will, like all other evaporators, formmolasses about the middle of the evaporator. By then placing the indexat No. 4, the last bars are heated up, thereby working the molasses backto its right place ready for running out. When it is desired to have theevaporator boil from one end to the other, the index is placed in No. 3,when the regulator will hang down. By placing the index in No. 2, theregulator forms a complete damper.

The bottom B is made to form vertical cross-bars B of two thicknesses ofmetal, by being doubled, pressed side by side, and let into chamfers cutin the bottom edges of the wooden side pieces A.

After being inserted into the chamfers, the opposite ends of thecross-bars are alternately cut and bent down, as seen at B Fig. 1, so asto form openings at alternate ends of the cross-bars, and, at the sametime, form stays between the bars and the wooden side pieces, and alsocovering the openings at these points in the bottom of the pan.

The bottom also forms one or more downward projecting cross bars, Bunder the heater, to brace the same and keep it from sagging.

At the end of the evaporator is an outlet, at, leading to the spout L,for letting out the molasses.

I do not broadly claim an evaporating-pan composed of side pieces and ametallic bottom, having vertical partitions, with openings in the same,at alternate ends, as I am aware that such is not new.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of the wooden sides A, having chamfers cut in theirlower edges, and the bottom B, consisting of a single sheet of metalforming the ends of the pan and bent I and evaporator, with scale J, asand for the into the chamfers in the side pieces, to form purposesherein set forth. i the interior projecting cross-bars B having Intestimony that I claim the foregoing I openings at alternate ends, thebent down have hereunto set my hand and seal this 11th ends B and one ormore under projecting (lay of October, 1876.

and bracing cross-bars, B all substantially BENJAMIN F. HARPER. [L. 8.]as set forth. Witnesses:

2. The regulator G, suspended from the JAMES W. HARPER, l crank-shaft H,in combination with the index M. G. STRUTLEY. 1

